How to Handle a Fake Six Sigma Practitioner

Today we look at how to handle a fake Six Sigma practitioner. Six Sigma is a world-renowned improvement methodology used by some of the biggest corporations around. It can eliminate variation, increase efficiency, improve quality, and promote productivity all at once. When combined with similar practices like Lean and Kaizen, the results are often spectacular. Six Sigma practitioners are the driving force of its success in the workplace, whether employed in-house or outsourced. But there wouldn’t be such success without Six Sigma training providers to teach Green Belts, Black Belts, Master Black Belts, and more, everything they know.

Unfortunately, this presents the problem of fake practitioners whose only aim is to wing it or just make a quick buck. Without a centralized governing body for Six Sigma practices, increasing numbers of fake practitioners and providers keep appearing. It’s important you be aware of the warning signs of fake practitioners. That way, you can prevent yourself from being swindled.

Warning Signs of a Fake Six Sigma Practitioner

First, we need to look at the warning signs that betray the fake Six Sigma practitioner. Fake practitioners tend to broadcast themselves as such without realizing. These people are trying to pass themselves off as the real thing when in reality they are at best mediocre practitioners, and at worst complete frauds. If you come across a suspicious website for a Six Sigma training provider, it’s worth applying some of your Six Sigma analytical skills. It might be a lack of information, suspicious absence of a business address, or a lack of testimonials. All these things appearing at once is a sure-fire sign something isn’t right.

Moreover, when searching for Six Sigma training, look closely at the practitioners themselves. Reputable Six Sigma training providers will display bios about their trainers or detailed information on their qualifications and experience. If either of these or both isn’t present on a practitioner’s website, then it may be best to ask around. Blogs and other websites frequently compile lists of the best Six Sigma training providers. If you struggle to find any relevant information about them, we recommend avoiding the practitioner(s) in question.

 If You Find a Fake Six Sigma Practitioner

You are likely at some point to come face to face with a fake Six Sigma practitioner. As such, a few questions will give you a better idea of their reputability. What does their training cover? Does it seem reputable to you? What is their experience? How have they used Six Sigma to make lasting process changes on projects? In most cases, if you feel something isn’t right, it usually isn’t. Afterward, you should spread the word about the fake Six Sigma practitioner. There might be others who were affected by this person or organization’s fraud.

Equally, it’s unfortunate we don’t have a central governing body to which we can report malpractice. There are plenty of Six Sigma forums and discussion sites where you can highlight the bad practices of fake practitioners. Even better, why not write an article yourself and put it out there for others to read? The harder we work to expose the fake Six Sigma practitioners, the better it will be for the real ones.